WEATHER DISCUSSION: A stalled front begins to push south through central Montana overnight. Widespread, light snow showers break out in wake of the front, along with much colder temperatures. High temperatures will be about 20 to 30 degrees colder on Wednesday than Tuesday. The snow showers taper during the afternoon as the trough pulls away. Thursday will be a respite from the unsettled and windy conditions. It is brief as a strong, southwesterly breeze increase Thursday night and continues through Sunday morning. Wind gusts over 60 MPH are likely across central Montana.
The downslope wind allows temperatures to warm close to seasonable levels for areas east of the Continental Divide on Friday and Saturday. Another cold front pushes across the state Saturday night. Another round of snow showers and significantly colder air settles in for the second half of the weekend. A prolonged stretch of frigid temperatures is anticipated next week, with highs in the teens and 20s throughout the region. Overnight lows will fall into the single digits and subzero wind chills are possible at times.
TUESDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy, with rain and snow showers developing late. A wind shift is expected overnight, from southwest to northerly. A bit breezy with a sustained wind at 10-15 MPH. Temperatures will be in the low to mid 30s throughout the night.
WEDNESDAY: Light snow showers during the morning, followed by mostly cloudy skies. Temperatures steady in the upper 20s and lower 30s. A sustained NW breeze at 10-20 MPH gusting to 30 MPH at times. A general coating to 2 inches is expected for areas west of a line from Havre to Lewistown. 2-4" for the Rocky Mountain Front and Glacier County. 4-10" for eastern portions of Glacier National Park. Mostly cloudy overnight as temperatures fall into the upper 10s and low 20s.
THURSDAY: Increasing sunshine. Highs in the upper 30s. A SW breeze picks up overnight sustained at 20-25 MPH gusting up to 40 MPH at times. Clouds increase as temperatures fall into the upper 20s.
FRIDAY: Partly cloudy and windy. A stray shower is possible, with more numerous rain or snow showers in higher elevations. Highs in the upper 40s and low 50s. A sustained SW breeze at 25-30 MPH gusting to 50 MPH at times. Remaining windy overnight with scattered showers likely. Wind gusts up to 60 MPH possible. Overnight lows in the upper 30s.
SATURDAY: Scattered rain showers, mixing with snow during the evening. Otherwise, mostly cloudy and windy. A sustained WSW wind at 30-35 MPH gusting to 60 MPH at times. Highs in the upper 40s. Any rain showers transition to snow as temperatures fall into the 10s and lower 20s overnight.
SUNDAY: Partly cloudy with a chance of snow showers. Highs in the lower 30s. Scattered snow showers overnight as temperatures fall into the 0s and 10s.
MONDAY: Snow showers likely. Highs in the mid to upper 10s. Snow continues overnight with temperatures falling to either side of 0 degrees.
TUESDAY: Mostly cloudy. Scattered snow showers possible. Highs ranging from 10-15 degrees. Subzero wind chills at times.
